for humans looking for healthier ways of being

prayer

If someone is sick, you take them to the doctor. Sometimes, paramedics are called in to put the person in an ambulance to take them to the ER.

So where do you go if you are spiritually sick? You go to the Spiritual Doctor. Of course, there are specialists who deal with the brain, the heart, the skin, the kidneys. If you have a cold, you can go to the brain doctor, but it’s not necessary. The brain doctor might choose to not see you because she has more serious cases which require her level of expertise. So you go to the general practitioner who sees a wide variety of common disorders.

How do you decide how spiritually sick someone is? What are their symptoms? And who are the specialists of the Higher Order cases? That’s a tough question for which to determine an answer. Ministers don’t advertise specialties like a doctor does, yet it would seem a similar comparison could be made. What if a Healer was some obscure medicine/religious person who lived in a remote area? How would you find them? And if it’s still ultimately God, God heals us through his people.

You call the Great Healer through prayer, but you still have to pray.

Here are some signs of a spiritually healthy person:

1. An increased tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.

2. Frequent attacks of smiling.

3. Feelings of being connected with others and nature.

4. Frequent overwhelming episodes of appreciation.

5. A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than from fears based on past experience.

You know the feeling. You had a disagreement with another person and in your mind you forgave. You were able to forgive them because you ended your relationship with them. But did you really forgive them or did you just forget them?

The answer to that question will be revealed next time you unexpectedly run into them in a location you weren’t prepared for, such as your local grocery store. If your heart jumps and your stomach feels anxious, then the energy of the conflict hasn’t subsided and, frankly, you focused on the forgetting but not the forgiving.

So what do you do when you come across THAT person? Here are some options, only one of them recommended.

1. Turn around and pretend you didn’t see them.

2. Ram your shopping cart into the back of their legs and pretend you didn’t see them.

3. Walk by them as if they were invisible and pretend you didn’t see them, or

4. See them.

As uncomfortable as it is, facing THAT person is a response coming from a stance of self empowerment. Responding as a whipped puppy with your tail between your legs will only add to the dynamic belief you were on the losing end of the conflict. Instead, take a deep breath, open your eyes, both in your head and heart, and see the person in front of you. What you discover might surprise you about them and yourself.

Now, for the awkward moment. Does seeing them include speaking? Maybe. But certainly on your terms and not theirs. You can say hello, or nod your head and give a small smile (but not the smirk smile) and keep walking. If they initiate a conversation, such as, “how are you?” say, “I’m great!” and keep on walking.

So the moment has passed and you SAW them, what do you do next to FORGIVE them?

Here are some steps that may help you with the process of forgiveness.

1. Write the person a letter stating exactly what they did that hurt you. Journaling can be a therapeutic process which can help you “read your own mind.” Journaling does not have to be limited to words. Incorporating art or other visual elements are as effective in processing your feelings. (Do not send THAT person the letter, but it might help to read it to another supportive person who can keep a confidence.)

2. Pray and meditate on the concept of forgiveness. Sometimes, we aren’t ready to pray for THAT person, but we can start the process by quieting the thoughts that racket around like they are on a handball court by focusing on the theme of forgiveness.

3. When you are ready to move to the next stage, pray for good things for yourself and THAT person. This action is empowering because it gives you control. When you start, you don’t have to be sincere, but over time you may find yourself believing that both of you deserve the gift of a life filled with blessings.

4. Understand that the role of forgiveness isn’t to change THAT person as change may never happen to your expectations and demands, but it is there to heal you and give you a better quality of life.

Forgiveness is a voluntary choice with a process and while forgetting may be a component of it, that, in and of itself, isn’t an indication of healing. If a chance encounter with someone with whom you have had a dispute has rattled your psyche’s bones, then it may be time for you to say “Oh, Forgiveness” so the next time you encounter them you can “See” them.

Any effort you make to quiet your mind and allow a Higher Plane of Consciousness to emerge will develop personal characteristics which will be abundantly obvious to you and those around you. These qualities will grow prosperity in every segment of your life. So how can you cultivate this connection?

Acknowledge and Trust you have the ability to access this part of consciousness. Some people believe God is Out There and others believe it’s Within. Wherever you believe God to Exist, give yourself the Gift of Access.

Choose a time each day to spend in the quiet. The ideal setting is one in which you aren’t multi-tasking. But if your schedule is so busy that the only time you have to reach out or in for God Consciousness is when you’re in the shower or on your commute, then by all means take that time.

Pick a phrase or visualize a location which helps reduce your feelings of pressure. Imagine there are no deadlines for you to meet and there’s no agenda for you to accomplish.

Breathe. Even if you think you’re breathing, take a breath to make sure.

Expect nothing during this time. The fruits will become abundant over time and you will notice them more and more as you go about your Daily Living Experiences.

Share what you do with others. Some may be receptive and others might not believe you. But speaking about your routine, will keep you committed to it.

Ever have one of those periods when you have a desire to be better than you are but you seem to be missing a key piece of the instructions and you just can’t seem to get it?

You know you’ve done the work: journaling, talking to trusted people, going to church or support groups. But you’re just not getting it. And from your point of view it feels like it’s getting worse.

Then, the next thing you know, your mood, mind, and heart are flipped over in the ditch in the journey known as life.

In relationships affected by addiction, it’s common to crash. You keep moving toward them and their addiction moves them away. It’s easy—and dangerous—to be tripped up on the invisible ice that builds from being powerless over another’s life threatening compulsion.

Then, when we find ourselves in the ditch, we’re tempted to spin our wheels because at least that is doing something. Instead of moving us forward, though, it digs us in deeper. It’s frustrating, discouraging and daunting.

When your efforts to improve yourself seem to be getting you nowhere or you keep slipping back into old patterns despite your good intentions to stop, then the best thing you can do is sit there and do nothing.

Wait. What?

Yes. As counter as that is to this create a to-do list, fill in your planner, complete a bullet journal culture, when it comes to relationships affected by the illness of addiction, sometimes the best thing to do is wait.

You will grow in awareness of yourself and how you have been affected by others’ actions.

You will process what is happening and not what you want it to be.

You can dig through your glove box and make sure you have proof of insurance and registration in case the police arrive before the tow truck.

And, then, once all your things are in order, then you will be prepared to move on.

Resentments will stop building and disappear.

Love and compassion for the person affected by an illness will begin to grow.

Addiction takes up a lot of room in a family’s life and sometimes members need their space from others to heal.

And, that’s okay. While you’re waiting for the Triple A tow truck to get you out of the ditch, you can use the time to look at life from a different perspective and rid yourself of things that are tripping you up.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12: 1

Don’t trip over the finish line. That’s an expression I share with people who are so close to achieving their goal. That’s the expression I’m using for myself in these last few weeks of completing my supervised hours towards independent license.

Many distractions have been hollering from the sidelines in my endeavor, which I accept (some days reluctantly and some days enthusiastically) as my calling for this time in my life. It has been tempting to throw in the towel and pick up the pieces from my former vocation. But as a new mentor has cautioned me, we can’t go back, we can only keep moving forward. So, I keep with the plans my Employer (aka as Higher Power) has laid out for me this day. Being all powerful, God is supplying me with all my needs. Apparently, some of my needs have been to learn how to persevere through unpredictable circumstances at work and in my personal life. And in an ironic way, I recognize if life was predictable, then many of us wouldn’t have a calling.

Today, my focus is on what I can contribute to the stream of life in a positive way and detach myself from the negativity others may try to project onto me. And when someone throws something into my lane, I will step over it and keep going.

I thank you, God, for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes. e.e. cummings

We plant a tree and have faith it will grow for decades to come. When we see trees on our walks and Sunday drives, we can offer a prayer of thanksgiving for the anonymous person who years ago planted it for the mothers, fathers, and children he would never meet.

If we can take ourselves out of the equation and make decisions based only on what’s beneficial for future generations, we are in God’s will. At a conscious level, we frequently are not aware of how far out our ripples extend.

Prayer and meditation improves our conscious contact with God who then directs us to plant trees. Otherwise, we bumble through life, benefitting from others’ hard work but not contributing to the comfort and security of our children.